Lighthouse Reef and the Blue Hole

About 80km east of Belize City is Belize’s outermost atoll, Lighthouse Reef, home to the popular underwater attractions of the Blue Hole and Half Moon Caye Natural Monument.

The Blue Hole, technically a karst-eroded sinkhole, is over 300m in diameter and 135m deep, dropping through the bottom of the lagoon and opening out into a complex network of caves and crevices; its depth gives it an astonishing deep-blue colour that is, unfortunately, best appreciated from the air. Though visibility is generally limited, many divers still find the trip worthwhile for the drop-offs and underwater caves, which include stalactites and stalagmites. Unfortunately for budget travellers, trips to the Blue Hole – which must be led by a licensed guide or company – usually cost at least US$200.

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Half Moon Caye Natural Monument

The Half Moon Caye Natural Monument, the first marine conservation area in Belize, was declared a national park in 1982 and became one of Belize’s first World Heritage Sites in 1996. The 180,000-square-metre caye is divided into two distinct ecosystems. In the west, guano from sea birds fertilizes the soil, enabling the growth of dense vegetation, while the eastern half has mostly coconut palms. A total of 98 bird species has been recorded here, including frigate birds, ospreys and a resident population of four thousand red-footed boobies, one of only two such nesting colonies in the Caribbean. Upon arrival (most people come as part of a tour), visitors must pay the Bz$20 entrance fee at the visitors’ centre; you can camp here (t 223-5004; US$10 per person), but you need to call ahead for permission.